One of the headline reasons to buy FIFA 17 is because of the story mode called, "The Journey." It takes place with a prodigious young man who wants to make a name for himself in the Premier League. It shows off both FIFA's strengths and its weaknesses. For example, you have a peerless presentation, which could be said to be an improvement since last year. Nevertheless, the game still needs work. In recent times, FIFA has shown less concern with the personal stories of those at the heart of the sport and more concentration on its corporate identity. That has somewhat hurt the series, but this recent transition has been a pleasant surprise.

The Likable Story of a 17-Year-Old Man

Alex Hunter must rise from the academy product to follow a more conventional path. This is not exactly your rags-to-riches story, but it's pretty close to it. The story mode does a phenomenal job of showing what this lifestyle can bring without the heaps of praise for all the positive. You have, for example, the setbacks and the insults to sting. The opposition fans chant to Alex in a taunt, "Who are you?"

Hunter has a surprising passion for the FA Cup, which was driven by his family's legacy with a sports movie tradition. The story mode strikes a powerful chord with many gamers because they can connect with Alex's love of the sport. You will also go through post-match interviews, which can affect how you stand with your teammates, supporters, and managers. Your responses can mean the difference between a sponsorship and no sponsorship. The Journey takes a surprising brush with practicality, and you have many moments where Alex feels a rush of pride going to the kick-off game. While it's not easy to surprise a person with an annual series, "The Journey" has some interesting twists and turns to make for an emotional experience, but it feels too simplified.

Gameplay Change Highlights

The gameplay since last year has changed somewhat. This year's FIFA, for example, has better low driven shots and better throw-ins than ever before. You can also control the ball better with a long keeper kick, which is a welcome improvement. FIFA 17 checks many of the usual boxes you might find in a series that is successful. The problem is that it is so successful, they're no longer willing to stray from the formula, so you do not have as much offered in the way of innovation.

Some of the much-needed tweaks from last year, however, have been added into FIFA 17. For example, you can do faked throw-ins similar to what you could with a faked shot in FIFA 16. Because of this, you have greater fluidity with players moving around and taking possession of the ball.

Refined Physical Play

FIFA 17 has refined the physical play so that when you hold the left trigger, it lets the game know to attack or defend. You can engage physically with the other team, and this is a small tweak, but it removes much of the mystery involved with defending the ball, and it can also be useful when in possession of the ball. For example, you can hold it better, and it adds a higher degree of richness to the gameplay. You have to learn how to nail the timing, and you will also have to figure out how to power your efforts with the goal of accuracy.

Other Welcome Additions

FIFA 17 made more welcome additions to the gameplay such as multiplayer skills, but it's honestly nothing groundbreaking. You have things like small two-on-two matches and passing drills. It's become so much fun that the load screens now threaten to turn into a match itself, but still offers nothing in the way of innovation. In Career Mode, your effort to manage a club has now been tailored to the management of the club in question. For example, you might divide Domestic and Continental or Brand Value and Finance. If you select Manchester United, for example, you will have higher expectations of winning trophies. On the other hand, a pick such as Tottenham will have less concern about European success over winning the home games. This is a way they solved the cookie-cutter one-size-fits-all problem in FIFA 16. You have more sense of individuality with each play through, and you have better reasons to start new careers or switch a club, rather than for just boredom.

Squad Building Challenges

One of the most noteworthy features of FIFA 17 is the Squad Building Challenges. It requires you to construct sides based on specific conditions. You can only choose players from two different nationalities, and after that, you will submit rewards. It adds an element of more sophisticated problem-solving that you can find with the Ultimate Team Building system. You can summarize FIFA 17 as pretty much a large change that, unfortunately, did not pay off. While "The Journey" is an interesting mode, it doesn't justify the purchase of FIFA 17.

FIFA 17's Comparison to PES 2017

EA changed the graphics in FIFA 17 from Ignite to Frostbite, which is the same technology firing up popular titles like Mirror's Edge and Battlefield. For the most part, however, the improvements are subtle things like how the floodlights emit a bloom over the pitch. The game also has a more realistic depth. PES, on the other hand, made a switch to the FOX engine, but the graphics don't compare to FIFA 17's. While FIFA steamrolls its competition in graphics, PES 2017 performs best where it counts—the gameplay. Many of the features in FIFA 17 convoluted the actual gameplay, whereas PES 2017 a dazzling simplicity on ball control, faster delivery and a more thrilling game of football has been the chief focus.